Trump Extends Barr’s Authorities In Probe Of Alleged 2016 Campaign ‘Spying’

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 22: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) listens to Attorney General William Barr during the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor ceremony in the East Room of the White House May 22, 2019 in Washingto... WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 22: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) listens to Attorney General William Barr during the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor ceremony in the East Room of the White House May 22, 2019 in Washington, DC. Comparable to the military's Medal of Honor, the Medal of Valor was established in 2000 by President Bill Clinton. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

President Trump gave Attorney General William Barr expansive new power to conduct his review of the origins of the Russia probe and what he’s characterized as “spying” on Trump’s 2016 campaign by the intelligence community, The New York Times reported.

Trump issued a directive on Thursday ordering the CIA and all other intelligence agencies to cooperate with Barr’s probe. He also gave Barr the authority to declassify any of those agencies’ records, a significant break from precedent, according to the Times. An official told the Times that Barr is interested in reviewing the CIA’s work in Russia in 2016, specifically who their informants were at the time and what they communicated to the agency about Russian meddling efforts.

Despite Trump’s obvious interest in the attorney general’s review, Barr has said he arrived at his “spying” characterization on his own and has said Trump did not ask him to review the origins of the probe that Trump has called a “witch hunt” for the past year and a half.

Barr appointed a United States attorney in Connecticut to lead the review efforts, but he has also met personally with top officials at each intelligence agency to discuss that the review is a “top priority,” in the Times’ words.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Who’s gonna pay for that?

  2. “The Purge” has begun.

    Loyalty tests will be given to all Government Employees and those found “lacking” will be expelled from “The Body”.

    Seig Heil.

  3. Amazing, the guy who straight up lied to the American people gets more authority. How very Republican.

  4. Avatar for noonm noonm says:

    Failing upwards is the only method of promotion in the GOP.

  5. The abomination has now ordered the Department of Injustice to thoroughly investigate Nancy Pelosi to find out if she is behind the spying done on him and his campaign. He’s commanded the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, and the Bikers for Trump to devote their full resources to the investigation. MAGA, Baby!

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

76 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for josephebacon Avatar for blandsten Avatar for earlgreyparty Avatar for dont Avatar for daveyjones64 Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for left_in_washington_state Avatar for ignoreland Avatar for thebishop Avatar for leftcoaster Avatar for generalsternwood Avatar for pine Avatar for henk Avatar for caltg Avatar for rickjones Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for euglena4056 Avatar for zillacop Avatar for outis Avatar for emiliano4 Avatar for ANNFFL Avatar for Scheer Avatar for laparque

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: